We’re proud of our accomplishments in 2007, a winning year for both Sapphire and our customers with major achievements such as our NOA Award win for helping our client Betbrokers implement their business trading and support system.

Other successes include:

Office and Web Applications

• Empowering The Apartment Service to market multi-channel accommodations worldwide
• Helping Betbrokers float their company on the stock market with our compliant IT management application
• Enabling Johnson & Johnson Corporate Communications to communicate more effectively with their customers, partners, investors and employees with our support and maintenance of of blogs, wikis and other social media tools on their website.
• Implementing a booking travel site for travel agents and consumers alike to reserve group holidays to Disneyland Paris Resort.
• Expanding the City of New York’s UVIS system to include support for forensic investigations, including onsite photographic records, dental records and DNA; onsite recording of data with smart digital pens; refined search and match capabilities.
• Completing applications on budget and on time for many clients including Bristol City Council, Northampton City Council, Opaldia, John Laing, and Kenwood.
• Implementing a number of websites for Produced in Kent , Smallprint, SJ Berwin, Burges Salmon, IsoManagement System, Register for Environmental Professionals.

Modernisations

• Working with the Chicago Transit Authority to move a DOS-based system for scheduling bus and subway (underground) crews to a web-based system
• Helping large corporations Hertz and Sony BMG unlock the business value of their legacy systems by modernising their applications using cutting edge technologies

Software Development

• Expanding FingerPin’s portfolio of products by developing the server version of their biometric software
• Helping SMS develop their mobile Web 2.0 initiatives
General
• Featuring in major IT press publications and websites such as silicon.com, ComputerWorld and Real Business
• Achieving Microsoft Gold partner status in the categories Custom Development Solutions and ISV/Software Solutions
• Extending our global reach with the expansion of our offshore office in Egypt, in addition to our 2 other offshore locations in Russia and India, and UK and US offices.
• Planning an even more successful 2008 for our clients

Winning the Award ‘IT Outsourcing Project of the Year’ at the National Outsourcing Association’s annual awards, was a proud achievement for all of us at Sapphire. Especially when considering that the runners-up included Fujitsu, Atos Origin and Co-op Financial Services.

The judge from the National Outsourcing Association said, “Sapphire Group’s submission stood out because of its creative outsourcing delivery model. The ability to implement such a complex solution in a highly regulated environment was impressive, and even more so as it was managed across a number of onshore and offshore locations.”

Building on the strengths of 2007 we are planning an even better 2008 for our clients. Having invested heavily in formalising our methodology, in creating a local team of project managers of exceptional quality and expertise, and in developing very competent teams in each of our three main offshore locations, we will continue striving to provide excellence in all our solutions:

- Bespoke Web Applications that may require data integration, online transactions, content management, and social networking

- Conversion of data legacy systems into new, improved applications

- Well managed software development services that become an extension of your own organisation

We look forward to working with you in 2008!

The win, based on the solution we implemented at Betbrokers, is a recognition of Sapphire’s efficient and effective delivery of office and web based solutions through a proven onshore-offshore model.

Runners-up included well-known organisations like Fujitsu and Atos Origin.

This is what the judges had to say:

“Sapphire Group’s submission stood out because of its creative outsourcing delivery model. The ability to implement such a complex solution in a highly regulated environment was impressive, and even more so as it was managed across a number of onshore and offshore locations. The tightly controlled implementation process ensured that there was no margin for error resulting in a smooth ‘go-live’ within a concentrated timeframe.”

Stephen Page, Sapphire’s CEO said: “We are delighted and very proud, especially when you consider the major players we were competing with. The award showcases the commitment and high quality work our team continues to put in to make Sapphire stand out.”

Click here to read the full story.

Real Business, the magazine for entrepreuners, has recommended Sapphire’s onshore/offshore development approach as the way to reduce IT costs.

According to Real Business Sapphire brought the costs of developing an IT management system for their client down to one-fifth of another UK quote.

Read the full article here .

Judged to be a good performer, Matchlogon with FingerPIN also got a 5-star rating on features and performance.

Read the full article at http://www.scmagazineus.com/FingerPIN-Matchlogon-with-FIngerPIN/Review/1112/

What ensued was a trip down memory lane and a write up about Sapphire’s history on Computing Magazine’s outsourcing blog - http://markkobayashihillary.computing.co.uk/2007/10/a-legacy-for-ou.html

Silicon.com has dedicated an entire article to the work that Sapphire have done for Betbrokers, the world’s first independent betting brokerage.

The article describes how Sapphire developed a bespoke enterprise-wide management system in preparation for Betbrokers’ IPO and how Sapphire’s proven onshore:offshore approach to system development proved to be a major plus for Betbrokers.

View the full article at http://www.silicon.com/financialservices/0,3800010322,39168488,00.htm?r=1.

Sapphire has made the final shortlist in the ‘It Outsourcing Project of the Year’ category by the National Outsourcing Association (NOA) Awards 2007.

NOA’s Awards recognise and reward innovation and achievement by suppliers, users and integrated teams within the outsourcing industry. The winners represent the length and breadth of the outsourcing industry, from financial services to telecoms, small companies to large, individuals and major global corporates.

The awards will be held at the Brewery, London, on Thursday 18th October.

New contract renews and extends existing arrangements between Betbrokers and Sapphire Group and marks the increasing acceptance of Russian outsourcing.

3 July 2007, London. Betbrokers, (AIM: BETB), the world’s first independent betting brokerage, has signed up Sapphire Group to support its business management processes from St. Petersburg. Following the recent completion of the successful implementation of BrokerBet2 - a front office trading platform and middle and back office support structure - Betbrokers has selected Sapphire Group to provide continuing support and development using its proven onshore offshore methodology.

Click here to read full press release.

This story is also being covered by:
Computer Weekly
ITBackbones Computing News
Finextra
TMCnet
FS Outsourcing
The Russia Journal
Bookmakers Review
ITProPortal

According to Microsoft:

“Microsoft Gold Certified Partners are the elite Microsoft Business Partners who earn the highest customer endorsement. They have the knowledge, skills, and commitment to help implement technology solutions that match your exact business needs. Microsoft Gold Certified Partners have passed the highest level of requirements from Microsoft and have demonstrated the most robust, efficient and scalable implementations of Microsoft technologies in demonstrated enterprise customer deployments or an on-site Microsoft assessment”

EasyBuild, Sapphire’s ERP for the construction industry, obtained HMRC recognition to file their HM Revenue and Customs’ Construction Industry Scheme form (CIS300) over the Internet.

The CIS300 form, which needs to be filled in and filed monthly, is seamlessly handled by EasyBuild and is just one of the many useful features the construction sector can benefit from.

More details are available at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/ebu/cis-online.htm - EasyBuild’s entry is listed under Sapphire Construction Software.